This guidance considers the use of VivaScope 1500 and 3000 imaging systems to help decide whether to biopsy and excise skin lesions, and to map lesion margins in people with skin cancer.
The VivaScope 1500 and 3000 imaging systems are novel technologies that can image tissue at a cellular level in real time.
The 4 types of skin cancer considered were melanoma, basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma and lentigo maligna.
The VivaScope 1500 and 3000 imaging systems show promise but there is currently insufficient evidence to recommend their routine adoption in the NHS for:
deciding whether to biopsy and excise skin lesions in people with suspected melanoma (equivocal lesions), basal cell carcinoma or lentigo maligna, or
defining margins of skin lesions in people with lentigo maligna and basal cell carcinoma.
Further research (see section 7) on using the VivaScope 1500 and 3000 imaging systems is recommended in the following areas:
the impact on clinical workflows for melanoma and basal cell carcinoma assessment in secondary care settings
the proportion of people with melanoma referred into secondary care under the 2‑week wait rule, and the outcomes achieved
the number of confirmatory diagnostic biopsies needed for people with a clinical diagnosis of basal cell carcinoma, before definitive treatment is started
the comparative clinical effectiveness of using these imaging systems to define margins of lentigo maligna and basal cell carcinoma
epidemiological research on lentigo maligna diagnosed in England.
The VivaScope 1500 and 3000 imaging systems are not recommended for:
helping decide whether to biopsy and excise skin lesions in people with suspected invasive squamous cell carcinoma, or
defining margins of skin lesions in people with melanoma or invasive squamous cell carcinoma.